1. Technical Field
The invention relates to an adaptive light projector system for motor vehicle headlights, which by changing the position and profile of a diaphragm inside the light projector system bring about changes in the spatial distribution of light in front of the driver of the vehicle.
2. Discussion
To improve the safety of highway traffic, a refinement is being made in the lighting produced by the headlights of motor vehicles. The new rule of the European Economic Commission ECE R123 makes it possible to use completely new types of light in certain situations, such as motorway beams, town lights, rain lights, etc.
Multifunctional mechanisms for the projector unit are in development, preparation for production, and production, making it possible to achieve these different types of lighting from a single source. These changes in the type of lighting are for the most part accomplished by a turning, a shifting, or a change in the trimming diaphragm of the light beam.
Examples of such a solution are the patents Hella “Varilis” (DE 102 16 678, DE 199 09 413 or EP 1 052 446 A2), Valeo (FR 2 815 310 A2, U.S. Pat. No. 6,623,149 B2), Koito (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,339,226 and 5,343,371), and Automotive Lighting.
The major drawbacks of these layouts are their considerable complexity, expense, and slow operation.